Windows 10: Windows 10 Tech Preview Tips

Shrink your Windows 8 or Windows 7 partition in Disk Mgmt, boot the Win10 media to do a https://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1...n-install.html.

Be sure to choose the Unallocated Space you shrank to install upon. Then click Next.

This should configure a Dual Boot, but if not install EasyBCD to add the missing OS to a Dual Boot menu. EasyBCD (click Download - no Name or Email required)

 

Both OS's will be usable but I'm thinking it still might break the factory reset function.

 

One way to do it is to buy a second hard drive and swap it for the one that's currently in use. That keeps the current install safe and gives you a blank drive to install 10 too. Just put the drive you take out in the antistatic bag the new one came in. If you don't like 10 then you just swap the drives back again. Then buy an external drive enclosure for your extra drive and use it for external storage and backup.

 

If you want to preserve Factory Recovery be sure make your Factory Recovery disks first. Use Acer eRecovery application to restore your system or create recovery media

But remember that Recovery is to the inferior Factory Install. So I'd strongly consider a Clean Reinstall instead.

 

I agree, but you and I have easy access to clean official install media. Some are not so lucky, unfortunately. I nuked the factory OEM installs on both of my laptops, shortly after getting them, for clean installs.

 

Media here:

Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO - Download or Create to
Clean Install - Windows 8

Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 - Windows 7 Help Forums
Windows 7 Direct Download Links

 

That first link will not accept OEM keys by the way. So it won't work for anybody with a factory OEM install, even if they know their product code. Don't get me wrong, those links may help someone out, I just want to save someone the hassle of figuring out what their product code is only to find out it doesn't work for that download.

 

Are you saying that Factory OEM will not Clean Reinstall with retail installation media as is the case with Win7? I had not heard this but I do not support Win8. Isn't this automatic from within the BIOS?

Given that we have had a million PC owners Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 you have to wonder what those stuck with Win8 on store bought PC's are doing - besides the long lines I saw at Best Buy returning them.

 

No, its just that the 8/8.1 ISO download referenced in that first link Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 ISO - Download or Create won't accept OEM keys. To actually get the download you have to enter a Retail key. My TechNet ISO's, which I believe are Retail, will read and use the OEM embedded keys. My ASUS laptop came with 8.0 Core. If I use a 8.0 ISO it reads the code and installs 8.0 Core automatically without prompting for a key. it activates online with no issues too. If I use an 8.1 ISO though it won't use the 8.0 embedded code. I could install 8.1 with a generic key and activate with my OEM 8.0 key if I wanted. I don't bother as I would end up upgrading to 8.1 Pro anyway so I just skip the upgrade and install Pro with my TechNet key. Then I add Media Center.

 

I set up a Hyper-V virtual machine on Win8 for a Win10 install.

It's fairly easy and Kari documented it well here:
Hyper-V virtualization - Setup and Use in Windows 10

PC World has a fair article, it references another VM package (Oracle's Virtual Box (VB)).
How to install the Windows 10 Technical Preview: Everything you need to know

Some members reported difficulties with VB, so you might consider VMware player or MS Hyper-V.

 

Hi there

I think there's a bit of confusion here -- the W10 preview doesn't require a key - now if you restore your Windows OEM system you might well require a key for restore if it uses the Protected boot system and you haven't re-enabled it after restoring..

What I would do on any of these OEM Systems is to BACKUP both your RUNNING system and the OEM RECOVERY PARTITION with something like acronis BEFORE you start any W10 upgrade and DISABLE protected boot. (That doesn't mean disabling UEFI though). Now simply enable legacy boot and you are good to go. !!

To restore - either restore the OEM recovery partition, and THEN restore using that to get back to "Factory state" or restore your OS. Re-enable protected boot if you had it on to start with.

Testing in a VM is the easiest way to start - but I agree sometimes people do need to test on REAL hardware too.

Cheers
jimbo

 

Hello jessejamestw23,

There is no problem if you don't have a USB drive or backup CD. You can simply install Windows 10 on Virtual Machine a.k.a VM. Want to know more ? Good.

Virtual machine - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Windows 10 on VM [Installation Tutorial]

 

id plump for the laptop with W7 on it. youve got your prod key for that on the sticker.
you can download an official copy of W7 from digitalriver without the bloat, and use your W7 prod key to validate it if you decide to revert back if you dont like 10.

remember to backup YOUR DATA first.

Id also do a clean install.

Roy

 

*Ditto

 

Doesn't the note box explain the issue and provide a workaround.
Or am I reading that box incorrectly?